


Insubordination

by owlmoose



Series: 15 Characters [4]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Dragon Age (Video Games), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 15 Characters Meme, Crossover, Flash Fic, Gen, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 02:51:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8472646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlmoose/pseuds/owlmoose
Summary: Carver Hawke, Agent of SHIELD, get the lecture of his life from Director Carter.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 15 Characters meme, to the prompt "Peggy Carter and Carver Hawke are fighting viciously. Natasha Romanoff steps in to break it up with a stunning revelation." 
> 
> I particularly enjoyed the idea of Grey Wardes as specialized SHIELD Agents, even if I didn't get too much into the mythology of it. Very AU for the MCU timeline.

Peggy glanced at the mission report in her hands, but it was just for show; she had memorized every word the night before. Tossing the stack of papers on her desk, she turned her full attention to the miscreant slouching in her office. “Agent Hawke,” she said sharply as she rose from her seat. “I think we both know why you're here.”

“Because my CO hates me.” Carver Hawke –- who was not much more than a raw recruit, only a few weeks out of SHIELD Academy, where he had been a better student than his final grades would suggest –- shifted in a chair that was a bit too short for him. Clearly, he wanted to stand, take advantage of his considerable height, but even he knew better than that. “That’s why. It’s all his fault that the mission went to hell, and now he’s trying to shift the blame on me-–”

“That’s quite enough, Agent,” Peggy said. “I’m familiar with your CO’s side of the story, and believe me, my conversation with him won’t be pretty. But at this moment, we're discussing your failings, and yours alone.” She tapped the report, hard. “You cocked up a dozen things here, starting with reporting late and out of uniform, and I intend to hold you responsible for every single one.”

Carver’s hands clamped hard against the armrests of his chair. “It’s not my fault! Agent Blackwall said--”

Peggy leaned forward and slammed her palms against the desk, with enough force to send a pen skittering off the edge and onto the floor. “I said enough! Stop trying to deflect responsibility onto your CO, your teammates, or anyone other than yourself. That’s a child’s game, and if you wish to be a successful Agent of SHIELD, you need to stop playing it. Immediately. Or would you prefer to find another line of work?”

“How can I take responsibility for my mistakes if no one lets me make my own?” Carver shot back. “Believe me, I wanted to get out there and obey orders. But I got so many conflicting orders I didn’t know which ones to follow. And that level of disorganization can only come from the top.” He pushed himself back in his chair and crossed his arms, glare intensifying.

Peggy raised her eyebrows at the young agent’s audacity. “And now you dare point a finger at me?” Her tone turned icy. “You must be keen to explore those other opportunities.”

Carver shook his head. “Why not, if you’re just going to fire me anyway?”

The buzzing intercom cut off whatever either of them might have said next. Peggy glanced at the line, then picked it up. “Yes, Agent Romanoff?” Anyone else, Peggy might have ignored, but she trusted Natasha to interrupt only for something urgent.

“Director Carter?” Natasha’s voice was professional as always, but with an undercurrent of worry. “Sorry to bother you, but I have intel that bears on your current conversation.”

“All right, continue.”

Natasha paused. “This concerns Agent Hawke, too. He needs to hear it.”

Peggy glanced up at Carver, who had sunk even further down in his chair, shoulders hunched. “Very well. Have Rose see you in.”

A few seconds later, the door opened and Natasha walked in the door, a clipboard in her hand. “It’s Agent Blackwall,” she said, handing Peggy the clipboard. “He left, and he took all the files on the Orlesian job with him.” She glanced at Carver. “And it looks like Agent Mac Tier is gone, too.”

“My CO?” Carver could finally restrain himself no longer, and got to his feet. “So that means…”

“You were right.” Natasha nodded. “Something fishy is going on, and they might be in on it together. Or one of them is chasing the other. Bad news, either way. Especially since we don’t know why.”

Peggy skimmed the file that Natasha had given her. “Well then.” She cast a stern glance at Carver. “We still need to have a conversation about discipline, and order, and the chain of command. And how to deal with a difficult CO, diplomatically.”

Carver swallowed, then nodded. “Yes, ma'am.”

“But that can wait.” Peggy took copy of the file off the clipboard before handing it back to Natasha. “I want the two of you on this. Quickly. Quietly. The sooner we can figure out where they went and why, the better. Report back to me as soon as you hear anything. Understood?”

“Understood.” Carver turned to follow Natasha out of the room, then paused in the doorway. “Thank you, Director Carter, for giving me a second chance.”

“Don’t make me sorry,” Peggy replied. “You might not get a third.”


End file.
